Junior Cloud Infrastructure Engineer Contract

Job Purpose

We are looking for a Private Cloud Infrastructure Engineer to design, deploy, and maintain private cloud environments with a focus on high availability, scalability, and performance. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with virtualization platforms, storage and networking solutions, and automation tools. This role requires a proactive and collaborative professional capable of delivering secure, reliable, and efficient private cloud solutions tailored to business needs.

Key Responsibilities

Infrastructure Design & Deployment

• Design, implement, and manage private cloud environments using VMware vSphere, VMware Cloud Director, or OpenStack.
• Configure and optimize compute, storage, and networking resources for performance and reliability.
• Develop and implement high-availability and disaster recovery solutions.

Virtualization & Resource Management

• Oversee virtualized infrastructure, including provisioning, monitoring, and troubleshooting virtual machines.
• Implement resource allocation strategies to maximize private cloud efficiency.
• Develop and maintain automation scripts for provisioning and lifecycle management using Ansible, Terraform, or PowerCLI.

Service Operations & Management

• Ensure the optimal performance and uptime of private cloud environments.
• Monitor and maintain the VMware Cloud Director (VCD) stack, handling upgrades, patches, and troubleshooting.
• Maintain detailed documentation of cloud architecture, processes, and configurations.
• Implement backup and recovery strategies to ensure data protection.
• Set up monitoring systems to proactively detect and resolve performance issues.
• Manage patching and upgrades to maintain security, compliance, and optimal performance.

Infrastructure Monitoring & Optimization

• Deploy and maintain monitoring tools to track system health, performance, and availability.
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks, scalability issues, and configuration inefficiencies.
• Conduct regular capacity planning and recommend infrastructure upgrades.

Security & Compliance

• Enforce security best practices, including identity and access management, encryption, and network security policies.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and other relevant standards.

Automation & Continuous Improvement

• Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices to automate deployments and reduce manual work.
• Develop self-service portals to streamline resource provisioning and improve user experience.
• Stay updated with emerging private cloud technologies and recommend architectural improvements.

Collaboration & Documentation

• Work closely with DevOps, application development, and security teams to deliver integrated cloud solutions.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation of private cloud configurations, processes, and operational procedures.
• Provide technical support and mentorship to junior engineers.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Technical Expertise

• Proficiency in virtualization platforms such as VMware vSphere, VMware Cloud Director, or OpenStack.
• Strong knowledge of storage solutions (SAN, NAS, vSAN) and networking concepts (VLANs, firewalls, routing, load balancing).
• Hands-on experience with automation tools like Ansible, Terraform, or PowerCLI.
• Experience with private cloud monitoring tools (e.g., vRealize Operations, Prometheus, Nagios).

Soft Skills

• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.

Experience

• 2+ years of experience in private cloud infrastructure engineering or similar roles.
• Proven experience in managing large-scale private cloud environments.
• Banking industry experience is preferred.